Women in biz aim to boost community

Sara Day Evans invited some 400 of her Facebook friends to the Women’s Business Weekend that begins Saturday.

That’s not a scientific survey, but it appears Asheville is flush with female entrepreneurs.

“I have never seen more independent, female-owned businesses anywhere else,” said Evans, a native of Kentucky who lived in California and Arizona before moving to Asheville in 2007.

“When I was inviting friends (to Women’s Business Weekend), at least 80 percent of them ran an independent business, a good majority of them were women, working with women or a nonprofit. These are all people who are doing good, interesting work that’s good for their community. … I’ve never had a circle of friends like this.”

Evans — who after 20 years of sustainability work now runs social enterprise Prosperity Collective — is one of the more than 20 presenters scheduled for this first-ever Women’s Business Weekend, happening downtown.

Organizers aim for the two-day event to cultivate community across industries — to inspire, connect and collaborate on ways to strengthen individual independent businesses and the local economy. The schedule includes networking opportunities and presentations, as well as wellness and guidance services.

“(These presenters) are never really invited to the same event,” said Daniele Martin, of JB Media Group and an event organizer.

The idea is to forge new connections, in a fun and casual way, that will “help us all grow,” said Tiffany Narron, social media marketing manager at JB Media Group and fellow organizer.

The diverse presenters list includes local luminaries such as Kitty Love, executive director of the Asheville Area Arts Council; Jessica Tomasin, studio manager of Echo Mountain Studios; Sharon Oxendine, of Mountain BizWorks; Becky Cannon, founder and owner of i play; Kimberly Hunter, president of Prolific Consulting; and Jael Rattigan, who owns and operates French Broad Chocolates with her husband, Dan.

“Basically, we sought out people that we are inspired by,” Martin said. “We patronize their businesses and know their work ethic and passion.”

The Rev. Canon Rosa Lee Harden is the keynote speaker and a self-described serial entrepreneur. She’s been a publisher of weekly newspapers, trade journals and a business journal and involved in a Silicon Valley start-up.

She was ordained as an Episcopal priest in 2000 and now serves as Canon for Money and Meaning at the Cathedral of All Souls in Asheville.

In 2008, she and her husband, Kevin Jones, launched SOCAP (Social Capital Markets), a conference focusing on the intersection of money and meaning. This year’s event in California drew more than 1,700 people from more than 50 countries.

Other panels include discussions of successful co-owned businesses — with Liz and Katie Button of Cúrate and Adi Westerman and Janet Horn of Bikram Yoga Asheville — as well as conversations about the art economy with Love and other artists, and marketing tips from area professionals.

“These are people who are really connected to their community,” Martin noted. “This is a way that we can all come together and see how we have that female entrepreneur kinship together.”

Evans noted that she will share “her life trajectory and the work I have done,” she said.

“There are personal challenges I have faced and overcome, and I think all of these life experiences will hopefully be of some inspiration to women in pursuing their dreams.”

She’ll chat about graduating from college at 32, with young children and on the heels of divorce. With her hard-fought degree in hydrology, she became a lead figure in a groundwater protection program in Kentucky.

She was bestowed a U.S. presidential commendation from Bill Clinton and awarded the highest honor by the Kentucky Commission on Women for her work with the health of women living in Appalachian coalfields.

“I kind of hit the wall,” she said after working in the industry for 20 years. “I had been wanting to move to Asheville” and did in 2007.

“The seed got planted really early, when I was young,” she said. “We did a lot of camping and hiking here. Asheville’s always been a very magical and mystical place fore me. I always had that in my heart.”

As a professional adult, she was also looking for a creative community that was supportive of art, music and innovative, sustainable economies.

Women’s Business Weekend centers on guidance and mentorship as well, but don’t expect Powerpoints and power suits; it’s more celebration than conference. Sunday evening features a Breakout Funk, Networking Jam with live performance by LYRIC, and Highland Brewing is providing Local Beer O’ Clock on Saturday.

But for Martin, the weekend is also about what’s not on the schedule.

“There’s going to be a lot of interactions, whenever people feel comfortable or want to,” she said. “We are going to address the conference and tell them to find a corner and continue the conversation if they would like.”

IF YOU GO

What: Women’s Business Weekend.

When: Registration begins at 10:30 a.m. Saturday; last presentation is at 5 p.m. On Sunday networking coffee begins at 10:15 a.m. and closing ceremony/mineral ritual is at 5:45 p.m.